Culver City Observer -

Transportation Department

• Line 7 Extension to the Hayden Tract – Culver CityBus began its Line 7 extension service to the Hayden Tract on Monday, January 12. The extension to the Hayden Tract runs approximately every 30 minutes at peak times only, between the hours of 5:54 am to 9:18 am and 3:28 pm to 7:28 pm. There are two stops in the Hayden Tract that people can use to take Line 7, and they are located at Hayden Avenue/Warner Drive and Higuera Street/Eastham Drive. Additionally, for those Expo Line riders, inter-agency transfers are accepted on all Culver CityBus lines. For any questions regarding the schedule, please call (310) 253-6500.

Community Development

• Building Safety Division - In the first half of the 2014-15 Fiscal Year, the Building Safety Division has generated over $1.84 million in revenue, which includes the technology surcharge fees amounting to over $113,000. A total of 1,284 permits have been issued, with a valuation exceeding $47.5 million. A total of 5,348 inspections have been conducted on 1,895 active permits.

• HOK – Plans have been submitted for a 3,800 square foot tenant improvement for a commercial office space at 9530 Jefferson Boulevard.

• Zack Norman – A permit has been issued for a new two story wholesale distribution business at 5844 Perry Drive.

• Morphonics – Plans have been submitted for an 11,678 square foot tenant improvement for miscellaneous office space and a sound studio at 11260 Playa Court.

• Ziggy’s Salon – Plans have been approved for a new retail salon at 4130 Sepulveda Boulevard.

Fire Department

• Class 1 Rating - The Culver City Fire Department has once again, been awarded a Class 1 rating by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). The Culver City Fire Department is part of an elite group of 60 ISO-surveyed communities, out of 48,000 in the United States, to achieve a Class 1 ISO rating. There are currently just seven Class 1 agencies in California. The Class 1 designation is the highest possible rating that can be given to any fire department in the United States. ISO is a nationwide rating service used by insurance companies to help establish insurance rates for local business and residential properties.

Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department

• Veterans Memorial Building – The City has engaged Technology Artists as a consultant for the Veterans Memorial Building. The company will evaluate vendors and advise on options for new lighting and film equipment for the stage in Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Technology Artists will also oversee the installation and provide training for the staff.

The Los Angeles School of Gymnastics will present L.A. Lights Tournament of Champions at the Veterans Memorial Building from January 22 to 25. More information is available at http://lalightsmeet.com/.

• Culver City Community Gardens – The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services is now taking names and contact information for residents interested in renting a very limited number of Community Garden plots, located near Veterans Memorial Park. In order to qualify, those interested must reside in Culver City, live in an apartment, condominium, townhome or other dwelling with no garden space available. This list will only be open for 30 days through February 10. Please be advised that this is a waiting list that will be used as spaces become available. If interested, please contact staff member Darren Uhl by email at darren.uhl@culvercity.org or by phone at (310) 253-6729.

• Culver City Senior Center and AARP Tax-Aide – Last year, the Culver City Senior Center and its staff made it possible for AARP Tax-Aide to prepare free income tax returns for more than 600 Culver City area residents. Appointments for 2015 can now be made by calling (310) 253-6700. Appointments are available 9 am to 3 pm starting Monday, February 2 through Wednesday, April 15. Appointments will be at 9 am, 9:45 am, 10:30 am, 11:15 am, 12 pm and 1 pm. Please note: appointments MUST be made in advance for this service.

• Culver City Low-Cost Counseling – Low-cost counseling is available to the community through a partnership with Antioch University Counseling Center. Community members may receive assistance with relationship or family distress, anxiety, personal growth, depression, life transitions, stress management, grief, and chronic illness, as well as many other issues. Appointments are available for adults ages 50 and older at the Culver City Senior Center or for younger individuals at the Antioch Fox Hills campus. For more information, call (310) 574-2813, ext. 366.

• Volunteers Needed – Volunteers are needed for the 2015 Homeless Count on Wednesday, January 28 from 8 pm to midnight. The Culver City deployment site will be the Senior Center, located at Culver and Overland. Culver City needs volunteers to conduct a count, which allows us to more accurately track the changes in homelessness and evaluate the success of local efforts. Additionally, this information is used to help advocate, plan for, and secure resources to assist people in regaining self-sufficiency. Volunteers will work in teams and will receive training in recording the count. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. To register for volunteer service, please visit http://lahsa.nationbuilder.com/culver_city.

• The Senior Center Volunteer Crochet Group – The Senior Center Volunteer Crochet group hand-made holiday gifts for families in the Early Start program at the Exceptional Children’s Foundation in Culver City and received a lovely thank you note: “I would like to thank the ladies of the Culver City Senior Center for your donation of knitted blankets and clothing for children. We were impressed and touched by the time, talent and care that went into creating these items, which were distributed to our families in time for the holidays.” The volunteer crafters are happy to make and donate thousands of items every year to local organizations.

• Senior Center Christmas Lunch – Vice Mayor Micheál O’Leary hosted the annual Senior Center Christmas Lunch on Christmas Day. Over 200 guests attended, enjoying a free meal and entertainment provided by Ronnie Jayne.

Police Department

• Brownie Troop Safety Meeting - On January 9 Officer Angela Voorhees and Lieutenant Randy Vickrey attended a Brownie Troop meeting to discuss a wide variety of topics including Bicycle Safety, Pedestrian Safety, First Aid, and the 911 system. Troop leader Heather Perez coordinated the event at El Marino School.

• Tilden/Tellefson Neighborhood Watch Meeting - On January 13 Sergeant Aubrey Kellum attended the meeting and discussed current crime trends in the area and parking issues.

• Lieutenant Milt McKinnon Accepts Captain’s Position at Hermosa Beach Police Department - After serving 24 years at the Culver City Police Department Lieutenant McKinnon is leaving for the Hermosa Beach Police Department as its Captain. We congratulate Milt on his new position, and he will be missed.

Public Works

• Urban Forest Master Plan – Community Meetings – The first community meeting to assist in the preparation of the Urban Forest Management Plan was held in the Patacchia Room at City Hall on Saturday, January 10 and generated a tremendous turnout with approximately 50 attendees. After a PowerPoint presentation by the City’s consultant, Artecho, attendees broke out into smaller focus groups to allow for more detailed input and dialogue. The second meeting was held at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, January 14 and followed the same format with approximately 50 attendees.

Topics covered at the two meetings included; Monocultures, Sustainability, Water, Pruning, Infrastructure Conflicts, Stewardship and Design.

Future Communities are scheduled on the following days and times:

Commercial Area Focus

Thursday February 5, 2015 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Saturday February 7, 2015 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Final Plan Review

Saturday April 25, 2015 10:00 am to 11:30 am

City Hall – Dan Patacchia Room (Ground Floor)

9770 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232

Sign-Up to Receive Email Updates:

https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/CACULVER/subscriber/new

*Once you have entered your email address, scroll down to “Timely Topics” and select “Urban Forest Management Plan.

Participate in Urban Forest Survey to Help Structure Community Meetings:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/culvercityurbanforest2014

• Annual Parking Meter Battery Replacement – The Public Works Maintenance Operations Division began its annual parking meter battery replacement on January 20. Approximately 1,000 batteries will be replaced on coin-operated only meters citywide. Additionally, the domes and housings of these meters will be cleaned and replaced as needed. This maintenance is performed to ensure these meters remain operational since they don’t have the capability to alert staff of faulty batteries like credit card-accepting meters. The work is anticipated to take approximately two months to complete.

• Culver City Plunge Pool Receives New Plastering – The Plunge Pool has been closed to the public since December 22, 2014 for annual maintenance. Two failing filter tanks have been replaced at the pool. Additionally, the old plaster of the vessel was chipped away (Photo #1) and was re-plastered on January 14, 2015 (Photo #2) and filled with water on January 15, 2014. Maintenance will also be performed within the offices and locker rooms of the facility. The Plunge is scheduled to re-open on February 6, 2015.

Photo #1 Photo #2

• Construction Updates

1. Southern California Edison (SCE) will remove an existing underground vault to complete the current project on Washington Boulevard and Elenda Street. They will set up a 24/7 lane closure on east bound Washington Boulevard between Sepulveda Boulevard and Elenda Street. This work began January 20 and is expected to be completed by February 13. A flashing message sign that notify motorists of the lane closure is already in operation.

2. Golden State Water Company (GSWC) began a project on January 20, on eastbound Washington Boulevard between National Boulevard and Wesley Street to install water service and fire services, and relocate an existing fire hydrant on Wesley Street.

3. GSWC will continue its water main installation on Le Bourget Avenue between Farragut Drive and Culver Boulevard, and begin its water main installation on Revere Place.

4. GSWC will continue its water main installation on Patom Drive between Berryman Avenue and Sawtelle Boulevard, and on Patom Drive between Culver Park Place and Diller Avenue.

5. Clark Builders will intermittently close the number 2 northbound lane on National Boulevard between Wesley Street and Washington Boulevard to place lumber on the top deck of the development project.

6. Shawnan Construction will be reconstructing portions of an eastbound lane on Culver Boulevard near Jasmine Avenue, and a northbound lane on Sepulveda Boulevard, between Washington Place and Venice Boulevard. Flashing message signs that notify motorists of the lane closures are already in operation.

7. The continuous weekend closure of Northbound Robertson Boulevard North of Venice Boulevard and the eastbound I-10 Freeway Robertson Boulevard Off-Ramp will begin on Friday, January 23 at 9 am and continue through Monday, January 26 with 24-hour work shifts.

Traffic Impacts

Local access to Northbound Robertson Boulevard will be maintained via Ellis Avenue and National Boulevard. Please follow detour signs to loop around via Robertson Place to Exposition Boulevard.

Eastbound I-10 Freeway Robertson Boulevard Off-Ramp will be closed. Traffic will be detoured to the La Cienega freeway exit.

Only right turns will be allowed from Robertson Boulevard onto Venice Boulevard during the closure.

Additionally intermittent nighttime lane closures will be implemented throughout construction.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times either via a designated pedestrian walkway or detour.

Advisories

Directional signage and/or flaggers will be used to safely direct vehicles and pedestrians around the construction zone.

Temporary parking restrictions will be in place in all construction areas.

Local access to businesses and residences will be maintained throughout all construction activities.

Please obey all posted construction signs and do not enter the construction zone.

(Construction schedules are subject to change for various reasons including but not limited to: weather conditions, unforeseen emergencies and other acts of nature.)